State Rep. Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak, had harsh words Friday at a regional planning agency’s meeting in Detroit for a proposed widening and reconstruction of I-75 from M-59 to Eight Mile in Oakland County.

The $1 billion project, which would widen the freeway one lane in each direction within that stretch, is something that “really belongs in the 1960s,” Townsend, D-Royal Oak, told the executive committee of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments in Detroit.

“This is a colossal waste of money,” said Townsend, whose district represents Madison Heights and Royal Oak.

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The state representative spoke to the regional planning agency’s committee Friday on its plan to expedite the project, allowing initial phases of construction to begin as early as 2016.

Before the committee approved the fast-track plan in a 24-7 vote, Townsend issued a warning, saying he would even work to garner support in Lansing for specifically de-funding the project, if it includes lane additions.

The state representative said he believes there are legislators across the state who would be disappointed by the project, one he called a “boondoggle.” Widening the freeway would hurt the state at a time when it’s attempting to retain young college graduates, Townsend said.

The vote Friday puts teeth into a similar plan presented in October to the Road Commission for Oakland County. However, it doesn’t shorten the possible long-term duration of the project.

By SEMCOG’s projections, given existing funding available at the state level, construction of the estimated $1 billion project would not be completed for 20-25 years.

The executive committee’s decision moves the reconstruction project into SEMCOG’s 2014-2017 Transportation Improvement Program, a policy document that sets the planning agency’s initiatives for regional roadwork. As the sponsor for some grants, the document allows the agency to receive federal funding.

The proposal to widen I-75 by one lane in each direction has been discussed since the 1990s, often drawing contentious remarks from opponents who say it will fail to achieve the goals of easing congestion and increasing safety of the road.

Plans also call for reconstructing interchanges along I-75 at Square Lake Road and I-696.

An official with the Michigan Department of Transportation previously told Digital First Media that at least 80 percent of funding would be covered by the federal government, but could be as high as 95 percent if it qualifies for additional funding based on standards set in Michigan’s freight plan.

Public Act 51 requires communities affected by such projects with a population of at least 25,000 have to pay a portion of Michigan’s estimated 20 percent funding match. In this case, Troy, Madison Heights and Royal Oak would share anywhere from 8.75 percent to 12.5 percent of the cost in the roadwork that cuts through their respective municipal boundaries.

A dozen people speaking during public comment echoed Townsend’s opposition, including Royal Oak City Commissioner Michael Fournier, who said the project would require his city to spend double what it typically budgets annually for road funds.

“If we’re betting on this investment that folks are going to be carpooling to work, that’s probably not a reality,” Fournier said of plans to include a dedicated carpool lane upon completion.

SEMCOG officials hope a resolution also approved Friday would address that issue.

The executive committee voted to ask the state Legislature to amend Act 51, and relieve municipalities of local funding matches for such projects.

It’s unclear if Lansing would support the measure, but Carmine Palombo, SEMCOG’s director of transportation, said he believes “there will be general support for that.”

The local funding match dictated by the law has “been a major issue” for the Michigan Department of Transportation, Palombo said.

“There’s no guarantee,” he said. “But let’s all get together and try to make it work.”

Jeffrey Jenks, a Huntington Woods city commissioner and vice chairperson of the committee, supported the expedited plan. Before the vote, he said he’s spoken with officials in Madison Heights and Hazel Park who are “comfortable with what’s going on.”

Jenks said he’s “pleased that we may have the ability” to reconstruct the road and allow more trucks to transport goods. And, he said, along the way “we pick up a new set of jobs.”

It’s unclear how many jobs the project — along with a plan to widen I-94 one lane in each direction in Detroit — would create.

The first portion of the I-75 project would begin at M-59 in 2017, and work toward Adams Road “as far as the money will take us,” Tony Kratofil, metro region engineer of the Michigan Department of Transportation previously said.